Friday, September 9, 2016

Bahamian Culture Featured at Shriners 2016 Convention, Tampa, Florida

Fort Lauderdale, FL - August 29, 2016 - Conch fritters, conch stew, fried fish and many other Bahamian dishes were featured at a "Party in da Backyard" Bahamian styled event, that was one of the highlights at the recent Shriners Annual Convention that took place in Tampa, Florida.

The Annual Convention is one of the organization’s major events and over the past few year's The Islands of The Bahamas has been a major sponsor. The always popular, world renowned, Royal Bahamas Police Force band that has performed in the Convention's annual street Parade across the U.S. - over the years - took center stage once again.
This year’s event featured a Bahamas booth where information on travel to The Bahamas was shared with the thousands in attendance. The Bahamas booth also offered the opportunity for attendees to learn about all of the signature events in The Bahamas including sporting events, major cultural festivals and conferences such as the upcoming International Women's Empowerment Summit (www.bahamasiwesummit.com), which takes place in Nassau, October of this year.

A variety of Bahamian native dishes prepared by a contingent of Bahamians, were served to Convention participants. The Bahamas Director for The African American Market, Mr. Linville Johnson, who led the team representing The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, hailed the marked high number of Bahamians this year, as a bonus to The Bahamas' overall presence at the event. Mr. Johnson said too that the large group of Bahamians who are members of the organization serve as excellent Ambassadors for The Bahamas. "They are like a Bahamas 'People to People Program' abroad," he said.

The Director shared that, "Although the Shriners have been holding some of their smaller meetings in The Bahamas over the years, they have upped the ante and this year have promised that some four to five of their events are scheduled to take place, in The Bahamas over a period of the next four years, with group movements ranging from 100 persons to 500.

The Islands Of The Bahamas was one of the featured sponsors at the recent 2016 Shriners Convention. Pictured at the event in Tampa, Florida from left to right are: Godwin A. Cargill deputy of the oasis, Nassau; Ingrid Bartlett, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism; Leslie M Dean Past Imperial Potentate, Grand Master, Commonwealth of The Bahamas and Grand Encampment High Priest, United States of America and The Bahamas; Linville Johnson, Director of African American Market, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism; and Uriell Johnson, Potentate Nemesis Temple #75, Oasis of Nassau, Desert of The Bahamas.

For more information on The African American Department of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, contact ljohnson@bahamas.com or reach him at 954-236-9292.